Winding and rewinding mechanism for note-sheets.



, P. BURKS.

WINDING AND REWINDlNG MECHANISM FOR NOTE SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19, I-9I5.

1,228,527. Patented June 5, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

P. l. BURKS.

WINDING AND REWINDING MECHANISNI FOR NOTE SHEETS.

1,228,527. TIE E APPLICATiON FILED APR.19. 1915.

Patented June 5, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- P. l. BURKS.

WINDING AND REWINDING MECHANISM FOR NOTE SHEETS.

APPLICATION meu APR. 19. 1915.

1,228,527. PatentedJune 5, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Pazdfznxr 13 Va( l Y attozmn,

'.PAUL I. BURKS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

WINDING AND REWINDING MECHANISM FOR NOTE-SHEETS.

.Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed April 19, 1915. Serial No. 22,377.

To all 'whom it may concern.' l Be it known that I,'PAUL.I. BUnKs, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of A Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Winding and Rewinding Mechanism for Note-Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to piano player and like mechanisms of the pneumatic type, and vhas particular reference'to note sheet winding and rewinding devices employed in connection with such mechanisms.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanism for alternately driving the music roll and take-up roll and for controlling the speed of the rolls when not driven; to provide an improved shifting device for the driving mechanism; and to provide a flushing valve for the exhaust chamber of the pneumatic action and a novel connection between the flushing valve and the shifting device of the driving mechanism.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will more clearly appear from the following detail disclosure of the present embodiment of this invention Vwhich is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the frame containing the music and take-up rolls and the improved mechanism employed in connection therewith, the mechanism being adjusted in position forv driving the take-up roll to actuate the pneumatic action.

Fig. 2 is a similar view the central portion of the device being broken away, disclosing the mechanism adjusted for driving the music roll to rewind the note sheet thereon.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the left-hand end of the mechanism of Fig. 1 showing the shifting pneumatic collapsed as in Fig. 2`

vand showing a rear elevation of the flushing valve and the latch used in connection with the shifting device.

Fig. L.this an end elevation of the right hand end of the mechanism of Fig. 1, showing in detail the driving mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken verti cally on line 5-5 through the driving mechanism as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken centrally through the take-up roll looking in the direction of the latch, and showing the latch in locked position with respect to the shifting device.

Fig. 7 is a similar view disclosing the latch released.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like parts are designatedby similar characters of reference throughout the several views, and particularly to Fig. 1, 10 and 11 designate a pair of spaced apart uprights joined at their opposite ends by upper and lower cross-pieces 12 and 13, the uprights and the cross-pieces constituting the frame or incl osure for the well of ythe player mechamsm.

Suitably journaled in the uprights 10 and 11 are the music roll 14 and the take-up roll 15 upon which is wound the note sheet 16. The means for alternately driving-the music roll 14 and the take-up roll 15 is shown in the drawings as comprising a spindle 17 detachably connected to the music roll 14 in the usual manner and projecting through the upright 11 and having its outer end journaled in a bracket arm 18 supported preferably upon the upright 11. The spindle 17 has a small sprocket wheel 19 Xed thereto over which passes a chain 20. The upright 11 is also provided with a vertically disposed bracket 21 in which is journaled a driving shaft 22, the shaft supporting a relatively large sprocket 23 loose upon the shaft, and having a peripheral groove 2-1 in its hub into which projects a retaining finger 25 carried upon the bracket 21 to hold the sprocket wheel 23 from longitudinal movement upon the shaft 22 and in alinement with the small sprocket 19 on the spindle 17. The chain 20 also passes over the large loose 'sprocket 23. Keyed upon the shaft 22, and within the bracket 21, is a pinion 26 one end of which is secured or formed into a clutch sleeve 27 adapted to slide longitudinally upon the shaft 22 with the pinion 26. Laterally extending teeth 28 are carried upon the clutch sleeve 27 for engagement with corresponding clutch teeth 29 projecting laterally and inwardly from the loose sprocket 23. IVhen the clutch sleeve 27 is shifted over toward the loose sprocket 23 the clutch teeth 28 and 29 interlock and cause the rotation of the loose sprocket 23 with the driven shaft 22.

The means for driving the shaft 22 comprises a friction disk 30 fixed upon the outer end of the shaft and against which works a friction wheel 31 fixed upon a driving shaft 32, the latter having a grooved wheel 33, or the like, secured to the end thereof for connection with a motor or other suitable driving device. The upright 11 is provided with a leaf spring 22 the free end of which bears against the inner extremity of the shaft 22 for the purpose of holding the friction disk 30 of the shaft 22`yieldingly and with considerable pressure against the friction wheel 31. The friction wheel 31 has a peripheral groove 34 in its hub for engagement with any suitable shifting device not shown and forming no part of this invention.

The take-up roll 15 is also provided with a spindle 35 extending through the upright 11 and being journaled in the bracket 21. Fixed upon the spindle 35, near the inner side of the bracket 21, is a spur gear 36 adapted to mesh with the pinion 26 when the latter' is shifted away from the loose sprocket 23 to cause the driving of the spindle 35 and take-up roll 15 when desired.

For the purpose of shifting the clutch sleeve 27 the upright 11 is provided with an outwardly. projecting arm 37 upon the end of which is pivoted a shifting lever 38 provided at a point below the arm 37 with a laterally extending pin 39 engaging the usual annular groove in the clutch sleeve 27. The lower end of the shifting lever 38 is hinged at 40 to a shifting rod 41 extending entirely across the well and through the opposite upright 10. The outer end of the rod 41 is adjustably secured, as by the threaded end on the rod and the adjustable nuts 42 shown, to a pneumatic 43. The base of the pneumatic is fixed to the frame in any manner as by the angle irons 44 and 45 secured to the upper and lower bars 12 and 13 respectively. A spring 46 is carried upon the pneumatic 43 to normally urge the same into expanded position whereby to normally urge the rod 41 and the shifting lever 38 in a lefthand direction to thereby normally interlock the clutch 27 and gear 36. The mechanism is shown in this normal posi-tion in Fig. 1 wherein the driving device is connected to the take-up roll for winding the note sheet 16 from the music roll 14 during the operation of playing the piano. The pneumatic 43 is connected in any suitable manner through the duct 47 with the exhaust chamber of a pneumatic action. hen it is desired, therefore. to shift the driving mechanism the pneumatic 43 is placed in communication with the exhaust chamber to collapse the pneumatic 43 and thereby move the rod 41 and shifting rod 38 in a right-hand direction to disengage the clutch 27 from the gear 36 and cou-ple the loose sprocket 23 to the clutch sleeve. This position of the mechanism is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings wherein the driving device is connected with the music roll for the purpose of rewinding the note sheet 16 thereon.

A flushing valve 48 is mounted upon the upright 10, at the outer side thereof, and controls a suitable port 48 communicating by means of a small tube 49 with the exhaust chamber of the pneumatic action. The flushing valve 48 is mounted upon one end of a leaf 49 which is hinged near one end upon one or more headed pins 50, the heads of which are spaced outwardly from the leaf A spring 51 surrounds the pin 50 between the head thereof and the outer face of the leaf 49 and yieldingly holds the leaf.

49 with its valve 48 against the upright 10. r1`he means for urging the valve 48 into closed position, and for yieldingly holding it in such position, comprises an adjusting screw 52 carried by the upright and passing loosely through the short arm of the leaf 49.

A spring 53 surrounds the screw 52 between the head thereof and the outer face of the leaf 49 and yieldingly presses the short end of the leaf 49 against the upright 10. The spring 53 therefore yieldingly holds the valve 48 closed and the tension of the spring may be adjusted by changing the position of the screw 52. The long arm of the leaf 49 is preferably arched outwardly away from the upright 10 and is forked at its lower end, as will be understood from the front and rear side views, Figs. 2 and 3, and straddles a rod 41. Y

The rod 41 is provided upon its threaded portion with an abutment 54 adapted to strike the forked end of the leaf 49 and tilt the same to open the valve 48 when the rod 41 is moved into position for rewinding the note sheet. It is thus seen that when the note sheet is being rewound the flushing valve 48 is held open so that the pneumatic action will not be affected by the 11e-passage of the note-sheet over the tracker bar 55.

A latch 56 is employed for holding the shifting device in position to cause the rewinding of the note sheet 16 until the note sheet is completely rewound upon the music roll 14. The latch 56 is pivoted at 57 upon a support 58 mounted upon the lower bar 13 of the frame, and in a position beneath one end of the take-up roll 15. With particular reference to Figs. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be noted that the latch 56 is pressed down against the rod 41 by a spring 59, the latch 56 being adapted to engage a shoulder 60 on the rod 41 when retaining the latter in its rewinding position. The forward end of the latch 56 has pivoted thereto a finger 61 yieldingly held against the takeup roll 15, or the note sheet wound thereon, by a springl 62. The springs 59 and 62 are disclosed as being mounted upon the lower bar 13. The take-up roll 15 is provided in 130 one side with arecess 631into which the finger 61 is adapted to drop when the take- -when the note sheet 16 has been completely rewound upon the music roll 13 the take-up roll 15 is exposed and the nger 61 is free to enter the recess 63. As the take-up roll 15 continues to turn by momentum the shoulder 64 is brought into engagement with the finger 61, moves the latter down and tilts the latch to release the same from the rod 41. When the rod 41 is released the spring 46 on the pneumatic 43 immediately expands the pneumatic and returns the driving mechanism to its normal position ready to drive the take-up roll 15. The mechanism thus automatically adjusts itself into position for driving the take-up roll to operate the player mechanism as soon as the note-sheet has been rewound upon the music roll.

For the purpose of placing a tension upon the rolls 14 and 15 as they are alternately released from the driving mechanism, and prevent the racing of the rolls, the spindle 17 is provided with a friction drum 65 against which bears a brake lever 66 hinged in the bracket arm 18 and urged down against the drum by a leaf spring 67 or the like. The upper end of the shifting lever 38 is beveled as at 68 and adapted for engagement beneath the brake lever 66 to raise the same against the tension of the spring 67 and thus relieve the spindle 17 of the tension of the brake when the spindle 17 is positively driven. The shifting lever 38 is provided below its pivotal connection with the arm 37, with a-spring arm 39 which is curved to pass about the spur gear 36 and bear against the inner face thereof to retard the free turning of the spindle 35 and its take-up roller 15. As will be noted from Fig. 1 the upright 11 is recessed, as at 70, to normally receive the spring arm 69 when the same is retracted from the spur gear 36. From Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that when the mechanism is shifted to rewind the note-sheet, the shifting lever 38 is swung about its pivot point so as to engage the beveled edge 68 beneath the brake arm 66 and raise the latter from the friction drum 65. At the same time the shifting lever 38 moves the spring arm 69 out of the recess and presses the free end of the spring arm 69 against the inner side of the gear 36.

Whatis claimed is- .1. In a pneumatic piano playing apparatus, a music roll, a take-up roll, a driving mechanism, a clutch between the driving mechanism and said rolls, a shifting lever connected to said clutch, a pneumatic, a connecting rod between the lever and the pneumatic, a tracker bar between the rolls over which the music sheet is adapted to pass, a flushing valve for the tracker bar comprising a spring leaf pivoted intermediate its ends and engaging at one end about said connecting rod, and means on the rod for striking the end of the link to open the valve when the connecting rod is moved by the pneumatic to shift the clutch into rewinding position.

2. In a pneumatic piano playing apparatus, a music roll, a take-up roll, a driving mechanism, a clutch between the driving mechanism and said roll, a shifting lever connected to said clutch, a pneumatic, a connecting rod between the lever and the pneumatic, a tracker-bar between the rolls over which the music sheet is adapted to pass, a flushing valve controlling an opening in the end of the tracker-bar and comprising a leaf pivoted intermediate its ends and engaging at its lower end about said connecting rod, and an abutment on said connecting rod for striking the lower end of the leaf to open the valve when the rod is moved in a dlrection to shift the clutch to drive the music roll.

3. In a pneumatic piano-playing apparatus, a music roll, a take-up mechanism, a driving mechanism, a clutch between the driving mechanism and the roll, a pneumatic, a connection between the pneumatic and the clutch, a tracker-bar between the rolls, and a flushing valve controlling an opening in the end of the tracker-bar and comprising a spring-leaf pivoted intermediateJ its ends, one of the ends closing` the opening and the other engaging the connection between the pneumatic and the clutch, and resilient means for normally holding the valve closed, saidvalve being open when said connection is moved to shift the clutch to drive the music roll.

4. In pneumatic piano playing apparatus, a music roll, a take up roll, a tracker bar between the rolls over which the music sheet is adapted to pass, driving mechanism for the rolls, a clutch for alternately connecting the rolls to the mechanism, a brake for each roll, a shifting lever connected to the brakes and the clutch to alternately and oppositely apply the brakes to the rolls upon the operation of the clutch, a flushing valve for the tracker bar and having connection with said shifting lever, means for normally holding the shifting lever in position to drive the take up roll and to retain the flushing valve in closed position, and operating means for the shifting lever-for moving the same to my hand in presence of two subscribing witoperate the cluchhto drivle the riusief roll nesses. V and open said us ing-va ve, sai shi ting lever reversing the application of said PAUL I BURKS' brakes to prevent the racing of the take-up VVitnes'sesV"v Y roll during the driving of the music roll. DAYTON T. MITCHELL,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set GooDLoE ONEAL.

Copies of this patent may be, obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

